The Truth About Fairies
by kmp63
Summary: Fairies are the essence of good are they not? a short story challenging that assumption.


**The Truth about Fairies!**

"But the fairies are the essence of good."

Rumples entire face twitched at the self-righteous tone from Snow. Her expression was even more smug, secure in the 'rightness' of her beliefs and allies. Emma couldn't help but notice Gold looked like he could smell something nasty, but after a glance at Henry, he rather obviously swallowed whatever riposte he had intended to spit out. A few seconds went by as he seemed to consider what he would say.

"Actually Princess, that is twaddle." He gave her a stern look as Snow's mouth opened to argue. "Have you ever noticed how only 'certain' people get a fairy godmother?" it was obviously a rhetorical question because he continued to explain. "The fairy's will tell you, that is because only the 'worthy' are chosen. Those with an important destiny who need help and guidance to achieve that destiny." They all saw Snow's smug expression return, after all she had been one so chosen, one judged 'worthy'.

"Blue explained to me, that they cannot help everyone because their numbers are limited, and therefore they have to make the tough choices based on the impact their chosen ones will have." Emma hated to think it of her own mother, but Snow was so puffed up with her own self-importance as she spoke, that Emma was tempted to punch her in the nose. That urge did not lessen as Snow continued. "Blue told me that the Fairies have the gift of foresight which is how they know who needs their help the most." Honestly Emma was hard pressed not to slap that damn expression off Snow's face. She wasn't alone judging by the expression on Gold's face, and neither Ruby or Belle looked very impressed either.

Gold's lip twitched in a nasty little smile as he proceeded to prick the over inflated balloon of Snow's ego. "It is true about their limited numbers. It is also true about their foresight." His eyes sparkled with sudden malice. "I have always noticed that all of the fairies chosen ones, have two things in common. They end up in positions of power, and they always credit their fairy godmother with being largely responsible for that fact. Thus, the fairies not only end up close to seats of power, but they also have both the ears and the gratitude of those powerful people. In addition, most of the 'chosen' are Princes and Princesses, or end up as such, peasants seldom get such help."

"What are you trying to say Rumple?" Everyone else was pleased when Belle voiced what they all were thinking and pushed for clarification.

"The fairies are even better power brokers than I am. They choose who to help based on what is ultimately in it for them, as opposed to who actually needs help the most."

"Of course, they do not! They are good, unlike you." The fury in Snows rebuttal told everyone how insulted she was by his statement.

"All magic comes with a price Dearie!" Emma's ears pricked up at that statement, she had heard it more than once from Regina, Belle was also obviously interested. Gold smirked. "But the fairies have managed to make others pay the price of their magic." Emma couldn't hide her shock at that statement.

"Explain Gold?" She could not be bothered playing his games and gave her son a stern look to keep him quiet.

"There is a reason that the fairies have 'chosen' to restrict their magic by using fairy dust. That way they can transfer a part of the cost of their magic to the dwarves." He gave them all a sardonic look. "The complicated relationship between dwarves and fairies and where they both come from is intricate and tightly intertwined. The fairies however hold all of the power, while the dwarves do all the work and pay the price. They pay the price of obtaining the dust, the source of the fairies' power, which is why they are sterile. They are bred purely to grovel in the dark to provide that power."

"That is NOT true! The dwarves are my friends, they are allies of the fairies." Despite the seeming confidence of her outburst, Snow could not quite hide her fear.

"The fairies breed the dwarves for one purpose only. To mine fairy dust. The dwarves are their slaves for all intents and purposes and are bound at birth to both obey their fairy masters and to never speak of the truth of the relationship." Gold sneered in obvious contempt. "The dwarves are sterile so that they cannot breed independently and there are no female dwarves. The fairies control dwarf hatchings and are the only ones who are ever present. Even I do not know all of the details, so carefully do the fairies protect this secret."

"That doesn't." Snows attempt to defend whoever she was intending to defend, was shushed by Gold.

"Furthermore, for every child chosen by the fairies, another must pay the price, usually a child of the chosen one if that child is not also chosen."

"Gold, what the hell do you mean by pay?" The fear in Emma's voice was warring with the anger.

"For each child given help and guidance, another child will be left alone and unloved as payment." Golds eyes studied Emma. "As the offspring of a chosen one, you would pay the price of your mothers choosing, unless you were also chosen, as is standard practice among the royal lines, whether a godmother is truly needed or not. In that case the price would be paid by some other child, for both of you."

"So, Emma's horrible childhood in foster care could have been due to Snow having a fairy godmother?" Belle's hesitantly voiced question made Emma grit her teeth.

Golds reply made her stomach roil. "I could almost guarantee it. There was no requirement in the curse for her to experience such things."

"I assume Blue would know this?" It was Ruby this time and there was a dangerous quality to the wolfs voice. Gold just nodded in response.

"Emma was in another realm, and there was no magic. Surely that would have kept her from paying the price?" David had remained silent until now, but his fear was obvious to everyone.

"Actually, we were all in this world. But that would not have mattered, your destiny follows you wherever you go. As evidenced by everything else that the saviour has done since."

"So Blue would have definitely known that if Emma wasn't assigned a fairy godmother, she would pay the price for Snow?" The anger in David's eyes was growing to frightening levels. "And she would have known that when she suggested we put Emma in that damn wardrobe?" Gold only had to nod again.

But as David turned with a growl, Emma grabbed his arm as he obviously intended to go and confront the fairy. "David are you telling me that you would be okay with this if it was some unknown child paying the price instead of me?" Her gaze was very steady as she looked at her father. "Or two other children if I had been protected as well?"

David's jaw clenched as they continued to stare at each other. "Of course not. But!"

"But now we know how truly untrustworthy Blue and the fairies are." Emma laughed bitterly. "Regina has told me so many times that Blue is not to be trusted. I just thought it was 'stuff' between the two of them.

"I didn't know. I swear I didn't know." Everyone had been ignoring Snow for the last few minutes, but the whimper got all of their attention, as did the tears streaming down her stricken face.

"I know you didn't honey." David was quick to embrace his wife and reassure her. Emma had to admit she may struggle to be quite as understanding towards her mother for the next while, especially given how staunchly Snow had always held Blue up as the epitome of goodness, even when events suggested otherwise. But for now, she occupied herself with holding her own son who was also clearly shaken by what they had learnt.

* * *

"I did not know any of it Henry, I promise. My mistrust of the fairies has always been based on gut instinct and personal experience. Blue in particular has always treated me with a loathing that seemed to have nothing to do with Snow and me. I guess I responded to that." She gave her son a quick hug before meeting the green eyes of his other mother, now slouched in the chair opposite nursing a large glass of cider. "But it all makes sense when you think about it. We have tended to overlook the fact that the fairies seemed to not have to pay a price for their magic, probably because they were always so quick to claim that their magic was 'good'." Regina laughed a bit bitterly. "Having been on the receiving end of Blue's magic a few times, I can tell you it hurts no less than Rumple's does."

In the end, Regina waited until Henry had gone to bed and Emma had consumed a reasonably large amount of cider. "Do you want to talk about it?" She had to smile at the look she got. "It is no doubt better to vent to me about both the fairies and your mother, rather than to your parents or even Red. I will not be the slightest bit upset no matter what you say about them."

"I'd like to rip the bitches fucking wings off and burn them to a crisp." Emma's eyes were frighteningly dark. "I won't even say what I'd like to do with her damn wand."

Regina sniggered. "She would probably enjoy it." A shrug followed. "Or maybe not considering how retentive Blue can be. It is actually amusing how appropriate the nun disguise is for all of them."

Emma snorted in momentary amusement before snarling again. "Where the fuck do they get off being such a bunch of lying, hypocritical arseholes? How the hell did people not know this Regina?"

"I have no doubt the fairies went to great lengths to hide the truth. If people started refusing their 'blessings' they would quickly be out of business as power brokers."

"I just." Suddenly there were tears in the green eyes. "All the times I've had Snow shove Blue down my throat as this paragon of virtue." Emma couldn't contain a sob as the tears started to fall. "And my whole crappy childhood was because of her. I mean I could have been adopted and loved Regina. I wasn't a bad kid, at least not until I got old enough to be bitter about all the people who treated me like crap, and then sent me back like a puppy that shits on the white carpet constantly." The joke was Emma's best attempt at keeping herself together, it didn't work and with a wail she broke down completely in Regina's arms.

The Mayor sat holding a crying Saviour for quite some time. She didn't offer meaningless words, there were none that could make this right. But she could and did offer supporting arms and a shoulder to cry on. At one stage she saw Henry at the door but sent him away with a flick of her eyes. If Emma knew he was there, she would try and be strong. There was no need for that. Regina also did not call Snow and David, their presence would probably just make it worse, which would of course set Snow off, which would make it even worse again. She also did not call Hook. He may profess to love Emma, but his value as a comfort at such times was dubious at best.

Eventually, even as Emma's tears dried up, they continued to embrace. It was nearly an hour before Emma spoke. "I don't know what to do Regina. How do you deal with?"

Regina waited a few minutes for her to continue, when she didn't, Regina said it for her. "Being betrayed by people you thought were trustworthy? Finding out you are paying for the sins of others? Realising you were just a pawn in other peoples' power games?" She smiled sadly. "I do not know Emma. But what I do know is that giving into the rage you are feeling right now, is not the answer, no matter how justified it feels. That was my mistake, please do not repeat it. For Henry's sake if for no other reason."

They just sat quietly, two women who cared about each other, giving each other support and understanding. They were still sitting there when the sun came up, because that is what real friends do.


End file.
